# Rich & Famous (album)

Rich & Famous is the debut studio album by Nigerian singer and record producer Praiz. It was released by X3M Music on 14 December 2014. A double-disc album, it features guest appearances from artists Wizkid, Patoranking, Iyanya, Awilo Longomba, Chidinma, Shaydee, Seyi Shay, Bez, Sound Sultan, Kayswitch, King, Skales, Morell, Iceberg Slim, Wande Baloyi, and Sammy. The album's production was handled by Praiz himself, Wole Oni, Wilson Joel, GospelOnDeBeatz, Cobhams Asuquo, TK, DJ Coublon, Password, Dekumzy, Oscar, and DeeVee. The album was created to showcase Praiz's versatility. Rich & Famous received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. It was also nominated for Best R&B/Pop Album and Album of the Year at the Headies 2015.

## Background

Praiz revealed the release date to Rich & Famous on 24 November 2014. The album art and track listings for Rich & Famous were revealed two days before the album's release.

## Singles

The title track, "Rich & Famous", was released on 22 July 2012 as the album's lead single. Produced by Cobhams Asuquo, the song explores themes of achieving success. It was included on disc 1, Rich. The dual second singles "For You" featuring Seyi Shay and "I Miss You" were released on 3 February 2013. "For You", produced by Dekumzy, is a mid-tempo highlife track while "I Miss You", produced by Wilson Joel, is a low-tempo R&B track. "For You" was included on disc 2, Famous and "I Miss You" was included on Rich. On 6 November 2013, "Oshe" featuring Awilo Longomba was released as Rich & Famous's third single on 6 November 2013. Included on Famous, the Praiz-produced song interpolates Awilo's songs "Karolina", "Gâté le coin", and "J'ai envie de toi". "Sweet Potato", the fourth single, features Chidinma and was released on 7 April 2014. It was produced by Praiz and included on Famous. The fifth single "Mercy" was released on 30 April 2014. It was written and produced by Password. "Sisi" featuring Wizkid was released on 14 December 2014 as the album's sixth and final single. It was produced by GospelOnDeBeatz and was included on Famous. "Sisi" was nominated for Best Collabo at the Headies 2015.

## Critical reception

Jim Donnett of tooXclusive found Rich & Famous to be a bold and exhaustive debut that showcased Praiz’s versatility. He praised Rich for showcasing Praiz's R&B style, with smooth, emotionally rich tracks that highlight his vocal dexterity and deep connection to the genre. On the other hand, Famous was seen as an experimental playground where Praiz ventured into Afropop, makossa, and indigenous sounds, with mixed results—some collaborations shined such as "Sisi" featuring Wizkid, while others felt less impactful. In conclusion, Donnett noted, "Rich & Famous is long and exhaustive. In the same vein, it is both simple and sophisticated, benign and avant-garde at the same time." He rated the album 3/5.
Wilfred Okiche of 360nobs, reviewing Rich & Famous, saw Famous as the commercial side of the album, packed with radio-friendly pop tracks and big-name features like Wizkid and Awilo Longomba. While some songs felt excessive, he acknowledged it as a “pleasurable pop record.” In contrast, Rich leaned into Praiz’s strengths, delivering smooth R&B ballads with lush vocals and strong arrangements. He concluded that while Famous served its purpose in broadening Praiz’s appeal, Rich was the stronger album, ensuring his longevity: “He has been suitably guided.”
Ayomide Tayo of Pulse Nigeria in his review for Rich & Famous praised Rich for its lush, soulful production and Praiz’s warm, passionate vocals, with songs that explored love, heartbreak, and devotion. He noted that Praiz was in his element on this half, delivering emotional depth with impressive vocal control. On the other hand, Famous saw Praiz stepping into the Nigerian pop scene, an effort Tayo described as commendable but not entirely seamless. While some tracks like "I No Use You Play" and "Sisi" stood out, others revealed that pop wasn’t Praiz’s most natural style, though he made a strong effort to adapt. In conclusion, Tayo noted that Famous was “the confident steps of a man in a new terrain,” with room for growth. Rich received a rating of 4 out of 5, while Famous was rated 3.5 out of 5.

### Accolades

Awards and nominations for Rich & Famous :
| Organization | Year | Category | Result |
| Nigeria Entertainment Awards | 2015 | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| The Headies | 2015 | Best R&B/Pop Album | Nominated |
| The Headies | 2015 | Album of the Year | Nominated |

## Personnel
### Rich

* Praiz — songwriting (tracks 1-3, 5-7, 9-11, 13, 14), production (tracks 9, 10, 12, 13)
* Omolara — songwriting (tracks 4, 8)
* King — songwriting (tracks 5, 12)
* Wanda Baloyi — songwriting (track 6)
* Sammy — songwriting (track 9)
* Wole Oni — production (track 1)
* Wilson Joel — production (tracks 2, 6, 14)
* GospelOnDeBeatz — production (tracks 3, 5, 7)
* Cobhams Asuquo — production (tracks 4, 8)
* TK — production (track 11)
* Darock Peter — guitars (track 3)
* Banky Sax — horns (track 3)

### Famous

* Praiz — songwriting (tracks 1-3, 5-8, 11, 12), production (tracks 2, 5, 6, 12)
* Wizkid — songwriting (track 1)
* Orezi — songwriting (track 1)
* Patoranking — songwriting (track 2)
* Iyanya — songwriting (track 3)
* Password — songwriting, production (track 4)
* Awilo Longomba — songwriting (track 5)
* Dekumzy — songwriting, production (track 9)
* Oscar — songwriting, production (track 10)
* Kayswitch — songwriting (track 11)
* Sammy — songwriting (track 11)
* King — songwriting (track 12)
* Skales — songwriting (track 12)
* Morell — songwriting (track 12)
* Iceberg Slim — songwriting (track 12)
* GospelOnDeBeatz — production (track 1)
* DJ Coublon — production (track 3)
* TK — production (track 7)
* Wole Oni — production (track 8)
* Dekumzy — production (track 9)
* Oscar — production (track 10)
* DeeVee — production (track 11)
* Fiokee — horns (track 6)

## Release history

Release history and formats for Rich & Famous :
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
| Various | 14 December 2014 | CDdigital download | X3M |